My Deep Work Routine
Something my friends and I have been talking about lately is how it seems like our concentration has deeply declined from back when we were on college, and I’ve found that working for myself, it’s even easier to get caught up in all of the small tasks, procrastinating the main tasks that are most important.
what is deep work?
Deep work is highly concentrated work that you complete for a set amount of time, whether that’s 90 minutes, 4 hours, or something in between. Typically, deep work is spent on the tasks most important tasks at hand. If you work, that’s the stuff that really moves the needle forward (like writing a blog post or coming up with content strategy, as opposed to replying to emails). It could also mean practicing the piano, working out, or learning a new skill. Deep work means applying your full concentration to the task at hand.
In terms of work, I have found that three hours of deep, purposeful work is much more productive and beneficial than an interrupted eight hours, which is why I make it a priority to schedule and practice deep work each week.
how to schedule deep work
Determine your priorities. This is an exercise I like to repeat in a few different ways. I think it’s easy to get caught up in lots of goals, creative ideas, or social plans, and not really know what should take precedence over the other. I like to refer to my life wheel to know what my priorities are. This doesn’t mean my friend time falls by the wayside; it just shows me that I enjoy it more and am more present when my work priorities are completely taken care of first. I will also repeat the process when it comes to tasks relevant to my priorities. For my website, for example, writing new blog posts takes precedence over editing old posts. Both will get done, but if I spend too much time re-working old posts, I won’t have anything really new to post.
Know when you get your best work done. Not everyone has the same degree of freedom over their schedule (like if you work a 9 to 5), but I am able to flex my hours based on when I am most creative and productive. Either way, you know if you are more creative and productive in the mornings or afternoons, and can then aim to schedule your deep work accordingly.
Schedule deep work as well as the rest of your week. I have a planning session every Sunday where I plan out my week. I like to do the entire week at a time because it gives me an overview of where things best fit. I always schedule deep work first, and then try to batch and time-block other tasks around the deep work. Typically, I spend Monday’s doing a lot of the smaller tasks to get them off my plate, and reserve deep work for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Add a prep hour prior to deep work. This doesn’t have to be directly before your deep work. I prefer to do this on Mondays and think of it as a strategy session. This is when I match the big picture to the details. I remind myself of my larger goals, and then plan out the detailed strategy for how I want to maximize the deep work sessions to move the needle and get closer to those goals. It’s easy to brainstorm and come up with goals; this session is all about planning the execution.
Plan for a follow-up hour following deep work. Things invariably come up during deep work, but your focus is on the task at hand – no distractions. I use about an hour after my deep work to send emails or handle some of the smaller tasks that came up during session.
how to get into deep work
Have a routine. I like to have a routine that gets me ready for a deep work session as it kind of signals my brain and body that it’s time to focus. I typically schedule my deep work to begin about an hour after I wake up, so prior to starting, I will:
Complete my morning routine.
Touch base with everyone that I need to, whether that’s work or personal.
Have a light snack.
Stretch and a few minutes outside.
Make sure my workspace is set up and everything is charged.
Create a dedicated, distraction-free workspace. This doesn’t have to be a home office or anything fancy, but for me, this means keeping the dogs away from my desk and leaving my phone in another room.
Gather all your essentials. My biggest struggle with deep work when I first started was that I constantly needed to get up from my desk to go grab something, which disturbed the flow. You don’t want to stack your desk like Staples because too much stuff can be distracting, but this is what I need in order to stay focused:
Blank lined notebook
Pen, pencil, and 2-3 highlighters
Hand lotion
Lip balm
Water
Chai tea
Headphones
Hair tie
Lit candle – annoyingly fancy but I swear sticking to the same scent during deep work triggers my brain to focus; it’s like a sensory cue.
Eliminate all technological distractions. Close out your internet tabs, quit any unnecessary applications (like Mail or Messages), and put your phone in another room.
how to end deep work
Just as I have a night routine to wind down from the day, I have a routine that signals it’s the end of my deep work session. I like to:
Get up and stretch.
Eat.
Spend a few minutes outside.
Tie up all loose ends with my follow-up hour.
Workout.
Then there are times when I get back into deep work for an hour or two, but more often than not, I’ll switch to the smaller tasks for the rest of the day.
tips for following through on deep work
Know when to say yes and when to say no. Saying yes to one thing means saying no to another. When it comes to this, I like to refer back to my priority list and really stick to it, even if it’s uncomfortable to the people pleaser in me.
Communicate. Whether you work in an office or have roommates and work from home, it’s important to communicate the start (and end) of your deep work time to those who might need to contact you. We live in a world where people kind of expect everyone to be available 24/7, so being unreachable for a set amount of time isn’t as feasible as it used to be. Whether your boss expects to be able to talk to you at any point during paid work hours or your mom is used to checking in, make sure everyone knows when you will be unavailable and that it isn’t up for discussion.
Honor your commitment. When I was first getting into the habit of deep work, I struggled with being flexible to daily tasks or last-minute requests and would put off my deep work. Even something like wanting to work out in the morning and push deep work back an hour or two would have bigger ramifications than I thought it would. You wouldn’t cancel or move a doctor’s appointment, so don’t cancel on yourself, either.